Lamp fixture manufacturers design fixtures for high power lamps to accept lamps from either a front or rear position. Such designs require a number of different sockets to accept specifically designed lamps. Naturally, this requires manufacturers to keep an inventory of multiple sockets; an expensive and cumbersome approach to fixture design. It would, therefore, be an advance in the art if a single socket could be provided that would accept multiple lamps and that could be positioned to accept lamps from either a forward loading or rear loading fixture.